The Truth About Alternate Day Fasting & Weight Loss

Although most commonly used as an anti-aging method, alternate day
fasting has also shown promise at both inducing weight loss and allowing
you to maintain your weight loss.

Alternate day fasting, which
is a sub-section of intermittent fasting, is one of the more favorable
weight loss methods; and for good reason.

It allows your body to
get all the nutrients it needs to stay healthy, prevents metabolic
slowdown and the loss of lean body mass, and allows you to continue
eating all of the foods you currently enjoy.

About Alternate Day Fasting

Alternate day fasting is a
way of eating in which you fast every other day. On fasting days, you
consume nothing but water and tea. On non-fasting days, you can eat as
you normally would.

Unlike other weight loss diets, alternate day
fasting is a lifestyle which can be maintained even after you've
reached your weight loss goals.

This and the fact that periodic
fasting is an effective weight maintenance tool makes it less likely
that you'll regain the weight later on.

Alternate Day Fasting and Weight Loss

Alternate day fasting induces weight loss
mainly by causing a caloric deficit. If your body needs 2000 calories
each day to function, you would eat 2000 calories on non-fasting days.

Because
your caloric intake on fasting days is zero, your caloric intake would
average out to 1000 calories. This results in two pounds of fat loss per
week.

A big benefit to using alternate day fasting for weight
loss is that your weight loss will be almost purely fat loss, because
intermittent fasting prevents your body from cannibalizing your muscle
tissue.

In an average weight loss diet, 25 percent of the weight
you loss is muscle tissue. That means if you're losing two pounds each
week, only 1.5 pounds is fat.

With alternate day fasting, a two
pound weight loss would result in the loss of 1.95 pounds of fat. Losing
an extra half pound of fat each week can make a big difference in terms
of inches and appearance.

Intermittent Fasting and Exercise

Exercise
and alternate day fasting go well together and regular exercise will
allow you to lose fat more quickly and effectively.

There are certain rules you'll want to follow so you get maximum benefits and don't inadvertently damage your body.

Cardiovascular
activity can be done everyday, depending on intensity. Light to
moderate cardio, such as power-walking and swimming, can be done on
fasting days.

You'll want to save high-intensity cardio - like
running and spinning - for the days you're eating. You should also limit
the amount of cardio you do on fasting days to one hour.

If you exercise too much or too strenuously on fasting days, you may mitigate the muscle sparing benefits of this diet.

Weight
or strength training should also be done on eating days. This way, you
can take in protein and carbohydrates as soon as you are done working
out.

This will replenish your muscles glycogen stores and promote
faster healing. If you work your muscles hard and don't nourish them
afterward, you're more likely to experience severe muscle soreness, a
longer recovery period and even loss of strength.

Other Intermittent Fasting Plans

Alternate day fasting is the way to go if you want to drop weight fast. However, there are other intermittent fasting schedules if you're looking for something less intense.

A
more periodic fasting, in which you fast once or twice a week, will
result in slow, consistent weight loss. This is ideal if you're already
lean and just want to get rid of stubborn fat, or if you have physically
or mentally challenging job.

People have also experienced success
with a daily intermittent fasting plan. You fast for 18 hours each day,
leaving a six hour window in which you can eat.

Many people do
this to learn to control their eating and change bad habits. For
example, if you crave junk food and sweets at night, you can have your
six hour window in the morning and fast the rest of the day. Eventually,
your body will stop craving food at night, including unhealthy food.

Whether
you go with alternate day fasting, periodic fasting or some other kind
of intermittent fasting schedule depends completely on how much weight
you want to lose, how quickly you want to lose it and what plan works
best for your schedule.

Site Info

This website is not intended to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any disease or illness. The content is provided for informational purposes. You should seek advice from a medical doctor before trying any herbal remedies or taking any new drugs, vitamins, supplements, and/or before starting a new diet, exercise or weight loss program.